Three years have passed since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, and during this period, women have faced one of the darkest chapters of their lives. After the Taliban took control, Afghan women, who were previously on a path of growth and development, quickly encountered a wave of restrictions, suppression, and deprivation.
Tarz Press - The Taliban have systematically marginalized women from all social, economic, and even personal spheres by issuing more than 80 strict decrees. This comprehensive suppression has severely limited many women's rights and freedoms, including their right to education, work, and even personal liberties.
This report aims to provide a more comprehensive overview of the current situation of Afghan women under Taliban rule, highlighting how the group's policies have destroyed their daily lives, future prospects, and social and cultural identities.
Education: A Dream That Ended
One of the Taliban's first actions after returning to power was to close schools and universities for girls. The Taliban interpreted girls' education as contrary to their teachings and swiftly ordered the closure of all secondary and higher education institutions for girls.
In the past two decades, educational achievements had brought new hope to Afghan society. Afghan girls had widely accessed schools and universities, with many reaching higher education levels across various fields. However, with the Taliban's return, these dreams were abruptly shattered. Girls who once attended school with hopes for a bright future are now deprived of education and forced to remain confined to their homes.
Even in informal and private education, pressures have intensified, forcing many private educational institutions to close their doors to girls. This has not only deprived the current generation of girls and women of education but also poses a serious threat to the future of Afghan society.
Employment: A Return to Economic Dependence
Before the Taliban's return, Afghan women gradually attained key positions in society, actively participating in sectors such as politics, economics, education, and even the military. Women played influential roles as professionals, including doctors, teachers, lawyers, and politicians. However, all these achievements were destroyed after the Taliban returned.
The Taliban's prohibition of women from working in most professions and their ban on women leaving the house without a male companion effectively barred them from economic activities. Now, only sectors like health and primary education remain where women are allowed to work, and even in these sectors, they face significant restrictions and pressures.
These policies have forced Afghan women, who had previously achieved economic independence, to return to total dependence on male family members. Many women who were once breadwinners for their families have now lost their sources of income, plunging their families into severe economic hardship. This economic dependence has increased poverty among families and reduced women's roles in society.
Social Laws: Exclusion of Women from Public Spaces
The Taliban have issued strict and irrational social laws that effectively exclude women from public and social life. From mandatory hijab to prohibiting women from leaving home without a male companion, these laws are designed to minimize women's presence in society. By enforcing these laws, the Taliban have relegated women to the status of housebound beings, sidelining them from public life.
Even when women are allowed to leave their homes, they must comply with strict and restrictive conditions such as being accompanied by a male guardian and wearing full Islamic hijab. The Taliban have also established morality police to strictly control women's dress and behavior in public spaces. Women, once considered an active and vital part of society, are now systematically removed from public life.
Violence and Suppression: Threats and Silence
The Taliban's repressive policies have also led to systematic violence and suppression against women. Over the past three years, numerous reports have emerged of increasing violence against women in Afghanistan. This violence includes rape, torture, forced marriages, and life-threatening threats. The Taliban have systematically tried to silence any voice of protest or women's rights activism. Women who have participated in street protests have faced violent crackdowns and widespread arrests.
Many women activists and journalists have been forced to flee the country, while those who remain live under constant threat of violence. Through violence and intimidation, the Taliban have suppressed any efforts to reclaim women's rights and have turned public spaces into unsafe places for women.
Daily Life: Struggling for Survival
The Taliban's decrees and laws have turned women's lives into a serious challenge. Women who were previously active members of society now face restrictions that have not only severely limited their personal freedoms but also impacted even the simplest aspects of their daily lives.
Outcomes:
1. Complete Deprivation of Education for Girls: Afghan girls have been entirely deprived of education, destroying their educational and professional dreams.
2. Increased Poverty and Economic Dependence of Women: By banning women from work, they have become completely dependent on male family members, increasing poverty in society.
3. Exclusion of Women from Public Spaces: The Taliban's strict laws have excluded women from social and public life, pushing them to the margins.
4. Increase in Systematic Violence Against Women: Widespread violence against women, including rape, torture, and forced marriages, has left them in insecure conditions.
5. Severe Repression of Protest Voices: Any form of protest or legal activity by women has been met with harsh suppression, forcing many women activists to flee the country.
6. Weakening of Service and Health Sectors: The ban on women working in vital sectors has led to a decline in the quality of social and health services.
7. Increased Psychological Problems: Social and economic restrictions have exposed women to severe psychological problems such as depression and anxiety.
8. Negative Impact on Future Generations: Depriving women of basic rights, especially education and work, has negatively affected children and future generations, depriving them of growth opportunities.
9. Undermining Women's Cultural and Social Identity: The Taliban have not only deprived women of their fundamental rights but have also weakened their cultural and social identities.
10. Increased Social Crises and Instability: The Taliban's policies have increased gender inequality and social crises, pushing society towards greater instability.
Three years after the Taliban's return to power, Afghan women face one of the most severe human rights crises in their history. Deprivation of fundamental rights, systematic repression, and widespread violence have painted a grim picture of the future for Afghan women. Now, more than ever, there is a need for serious global action to change this situation. Without such actions, Afghan women will remain trapped under the oppression and suppression of the Taliban.
